weCAN Digest January 2019

Media monitoring of the latest news about the media and advertising markets of Central and Eastern Europe

Latvia gets Media Ethics CouncilLatvian journalism organizations created a media ethics council this month. The Latvian media ethics council plans to have a journalism ethics code proposal and council members by February, according to the Baltic News Network.Jan 1https://www.imediaethics.org/latvia-gets-media-ethics-council/

Russia ‘decriminalizes’ pro-Ukraine social media reposts in occupied Crimea. But only the firstAmendments have been made to one of Russia’s notorious ‘extremism’ charges used in many political prosecutions in Russian-occupied Crimea. It remains to be seen whether it has a major impact, but in principle it should stop people facing criminal charges and being placed on Russia’s ‘List of Terrorists and Extremists’ for a single reposted text or picture on social media.Jan 2http://khpg.org/en/index.php?id=1546123219

Controversial ads at Tallinn tram stop replaced by Estonia 200 adsEarly on Monday morning, commuters in Central Tallinn were met with the sight of a series of bold, bilingual advertisements dividing each side of the central Hobujaama tram stop in half, with the ads on the left, in blue, stating "Here only Estonians" and the ads on the right, in red, stating "Here only Russians." By Tuesday morning, the controversial ads had been replaced — by ads for Estonia 200.Jan 8https://news.err.ee/895921/controversial-ads-at-tallinn-tram-stop-replaced-by-estonia-200-ads

Latvia clamps down on internet piracyLatvia has passed a law that requires ISPs to block access to TV broadcasts that violate intellectual property rights. According to Mediasat, the blocking will initially be undertaken in out of court orders by the National Electronic Mass Media Council (NEPLP) for a period of six months.Jan 10https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2019/01/10/latvia-clamps-down-on-internet-piracy/

Russia media watchdog investigates BBC website over IS quotesRussia's media regulator says it has found material on BBC websites that "broadcast the ideological attitudes of international terrorist organisations". Roskomnadzor said it was looking at quotes from the leader of the Islamic State group, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.Jan 10https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-46829350

Czech PM targeted by billboards of 'shame'Billboards targeting billionaire Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis have popped up across the country this week, showing portraits of citizens expressing "shame" over fraud charges he faces. The high-profile "I am ashamed of my prime minister" campaign was dreamed up by advertising executive Jaroslav Polacek.Jan 11https://www.france24.com/en/20190111-czech-pm-targeted-billboards-shame

Serbia – Balkans’ Black Champion of Journalists’ Safety: Reports on Western Balkan CountriesSerbia is maintaining its infamous rank in the region as the country in which journalists’ safety is the most endangered, the data from comparative analysis conducted by the Regional Platform for advocating media freedom and journalists’ safety reveal.Jan 11http://seenpm.org/serbia-balkans-black-champion-journalists-safety/

Lithuania’s ruling majority swings at media freedom, experts warnUnder the blanket of international developments in the media landscape and citing dangers stemming from hostile Russia’s actions, Lithuanian legislators are following in their Hungarian and Polish counterparts’ footsteps and proceed with legislation that, if implemented, will infringe media freedom and the constitutional right of freedom of speech in the country.Jan 17https://bnn-news.com/lithuania-s-ruling-majority-swings-at-media-freedom-196279

Facebook Identifies Russia-Linked Misinformation CampaignFacebook identified two disinformation campaigns originating from Russia — including one tied to an agency controlled by the Kremlin — that were targeted at users in Europe and Central Asia. The company said on Thursday it had deleted nearly 500 pages and accounts that had posted the misleading messages.Jan 17https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/17/business/facebook-misinformation-russia.html

This Russian startup wants to put huge ads in space. Not everyone is on board with the idea.If it sometimes feels as if the world is awash in advertisements, just wait. A Russian startup just revealed plans to use swarms of tiny, light-reflecting satellites to create sprawling billboards in space. The first of StartRocket's space-based ads, shown in a new concept video released by the company last week, could go up by 2021.Jan 18https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/startup-wants-put-huge-ads-space-not-everyone-board-idea-ncna960296

Estonian newspaper seeking to influence voters?The Estonian daily Postimees has published a "Vote Compass" aimed at helping the citizens decide how to vote in the run-up to the parliamentary elections on March 3. Politicians were interviewed in advance about the questions contained in the compass. But according to other Estonian media outlets there can be no talk of this being an unbiased tool for voters.Jan 24https://www.eurotopics.net/en/213600/estonian-newspaper-seeking-to-influence-voters#

This former Google exec talked to the social media trolls the Russians paid to influence elections — here's what she learnedCamille François is a veteran of Alphabet, most recently at Google's analytics offshoot Jigsaw. She left the tech giant eight months ago to lead research and analysis at Graphika, a social network analysis company, where she was this week named chief innovation officer.Jan 27https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/27/ex-google-exec-camille-francois-russian-trolls.html

Despite media impact worries Bulgaria begins to implement GDPR amendmentsThe EU’s General Data Protection Regulation took another step towards being integrated into Bulgarian law last week, when MPs in Sofia gave the green light to the second and final reading of changes to the nation’s data protection legislation. The approval motion came amid a wave of doubts raised by a number of political groups claiming that the amendments could undermine media freedom in Bulgaria.Jan 29https://gdpr.report/news/2019/01/29/despite-media-impact-worries-bulgaria-begins-to-implement-gdpr-amendments/

Rebroadcasting of Rossiya RTR in Latvia banned for three months due to hate speech on the part of Solovyov and ZhirinovskyThe National Electronic Mass Media Council (NEPLP) on Thursday decided to ban rebroadcasting and distribution of Russian television channel Rossiya RTR in Latvia for a period of three months, the council told LETA.Jan 31http://www.leta.lv/eng/home/important/13413B3B-1AC7-B33F-D9E5-515FC37EA340/

Lithuanian regulator warns Russian channelsThe Lithuanian Radio and Television Commission (LRTK) has issued a warning to First Baltic Channel Lietuva for violating the country’s Law on Public Information. In a statement, it says that having met on January 30 to discuss a programme aired on the channel earlier in the month, it concluded that a violation had taken place.Jan 31https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2019/01/31/lithuanian-regulator-warns-russian-channels/

Russia’s Playbook for Social Media Disinformation Has Gone GlobalTwitter said on Thursday that countries including Bangladesh and Venezuela had been using social media to disseminate government talking points, while Facebook detailed a broad Iranian disinformation campaign that touched on everything from the conflict in Syria to conspiracy theories about the Sept. 11 attacks.Jan 31https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/31/technology/twitter-disinformation-united-states-russia.html

Mayor’s murder pushes Polish media to look hard at itselfWhile the murder lacked a clear political motive, it has shone light on deep political and media polarization in Poland and has prompted calls for an end to the aggressive, sensationalist rhetoric—what some call hate speech—that has become commonplace in Polish media.Jan 31https://www.cjr.org/analysis/polish-mayor-murdered-media.php

Download _CANNUAL REPORT 2015

*Information Note on Data Processing:

Data Controller: Café Reklám Kft. (registered seat: H-1037 Budapest, Seregély utca 3-5.)
Number of registration by the National Authority for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (NAIH): NAIH-74505/2014 Reference to legislation: Act CXII of 2011 Legal basis for data processing: data subject’s voluntary consent
Purpose of data processing: use for marketing purposes (sending newsletters, information notes, etc.) and acquiring clients
Café Reklám Kft. shall not be entitled to transfer the data. During data processing, Café Reklám Kft. ensures the protection of the privacy of the data subjects. At the data subject’s request, Café Reklám Kft. provides information on data processing, corrects, modifies, deletes or locks data. Data Controller processes or deletes the data according to the conditions set out by law.
If registered users are not satisfied with the procedure carried out by the data controller, they shall have the right to enforce their right to the protection of their personal data before the civil court and to turn to the National Authority for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (www.naih.hu/kapcsolat.html).